Australians

Australia: The heavyweight champions of the world

It’s official: Australia holds the global blue ribbon in the corpulent category according to a recent report from the Baker Heart Research Institute. Deemed the most accurate in a decade, the report refers to obesity in this country as an
epidemic and states in the year 2000 almost 60 percent of people aged 25-plus were overweight/obese, with that percentage now rapidly increasing.

Meanwhile, middle-aged people (45 to 64 years) are named the fattest group overall with 7 out of 10 middle-aged men and 6 out of 10 middle-aged women classed as overweight/obese. Clare Barnes a local dietitian practicing for 33 years since 1975 says since the report’s circulation she hasn’t noticed a
charge of people at her door seeking aid in weight reduction. “I think the awareness is certainly increasing all the time and perhaps statistics like that hopefully make people stop and think, but I can’t say that I’ve noticed a big change. Most of the clients I see are people who are overweight and quite
often that’s associated with other health problems like diabetes and heart disease.”

However, Ms Barnes expressed some uncertainty over the report’s
findings. “There actually was another report later on saying that depending on what measures you used that perhaps it wasn’t true either.”

A personal trainer for two years with Re-Creation Health Club Geelong, Daniel Reeves registers astonishment over Australia’s world number one ranking in
expanding waistlines. “I thought the States would always be the fattest. You don’t really see it. I mean people that have been coming here have been coming regularly for years and they’re all in pretty good shape so you don’t see a lot of it.”

Though Daniel agrees that the news isn’t spurring people into action thus far. “Maybe that’s why we are the fattest nation because there are not enough people coming in to a gym. Generally there’s a reason why people are overweight, because they don’t do anything pretty much; they don’t exercise and they eat all the wrong foods.” As for whether there’s been a swell of gym enthusiasts Daniel notes, “The main influx is before summer.”

Surprised that Australian has garnered the height of the hefty heap, Dr Manoranjan Kar a general practitioner for over 35 years in Geelong acknowledges
obesity is a major health issue in this country. “There are a few people who are fat; I know that. People coming from overseas, they’re gaining too much; they’re getting fat.” Dr Kar also notes no surge in patient numbers at his Grovedale practice since the report’s release though he admits a number of his
patients are obese; some suffer from diabetes and high blood pressure, “A few have genetic problems too; their parents were big.

Particularly I think that people coming from Scotland are pretty big and their descendants are pretty big too. Dr Kar believes the responsibility also lies with our ruling authorities.

“I think you can blame the Government too, because they’re allowing too many takeaway restaurants to be established. One of my patients used to work
in McDonalds and told me that a few fellas used to come to McDonalds in the city four times a day and that their meal is McDonalds and nothing else.”

Terry Broun Jr.